Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-05-26
SHE WANTED GOLD.
Story Of a Romantic Painter and
an angel
CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER L.
People who lived in Nashville, Tenn,
In 1876 have surely not forgotten An
zeli Botenio, the artist. He had an OBJ
scure room, a studio, he termed it,
reached by an alley leading off from
street not noted for its responsibility.
AS his name implies, he was of Italian
,extraction; indeed, he claimed to have
been educated in Florence, but this his
acquaintances seemed to doubt, not that
they had ever detected him in an UNI
truth, but because, am inclined to be-
lieve, his pronunciation was strikingly
American. If his worship of art could
have been crystalized into art itself, he
would have become famous; but some
how, l am not sufficiently schOoled to
tell why, he lacked the simple yet divine
touch of greatness. Some of mis- pictures
were beautiful, surely; but the art crit
ics-and 1 fancy that they knew more
of ordinary whitewash than of fine
paint-criticised them with uncouth Sc
verify. l have never seen a man pos
sessed of more lovable disposition.
Neither hunger nor that which is worse
to a sensitive soul, disappointment,
tended to throw the melancholy of twi-
light where his sunshine of bright hope
had played. .Ah," he would some
times say, perfect love must finally re-
suit in perfect execution. Yes, the
moonlight in that picture must be I'M
natural. will go out tonight, study
nature and remedy the defect"
One night, at Il picture sale, Anzeli
was introduced to one of the handsom-
est young women of the South, Miss
Laura Blythe, niece of old General A.
T. Patterson. Laura lived with her
uncle, her parents having died when
she was child; and, as the old fellow
had no children, it was said that she
would inherit his property. Anzeli
thought not of this when he stood en-
thralled by her presence. At once, and
before he could realize it, he gave her
the love which his soul had warmly
treasured to bestow upon an ideal of its
own creation. He had often said, in
conversation with a friend, that he did
not expect to ever love human being.
81 know that am FOOLISH" he admit
ted, '.hut can not love a woman I'M
less she be perfectly beautiful, more
beautiful than 1 fancy any human be-
ing can be. Her face must not bear
the slightest blemish; there must not be
the mistake of single line; but, of
course, / shall never meet her."
When his heart ceased fiuttering, and
when his eye became steadier, he
knew that he had met her. She was
struck with him, for when her uncle
called her she fingered, with half-blush-
ing dalliance, as though hesitating to
say something which she feared would
be inappropriate. They met again the
night following, and he walked home
with her, though had his eye been more
observant of surroundings he might
have seen that the old General APP
proved not of his attention to the young
lady. After this they met often. though
not ut the Generals house. Once, at
the house of a convenient friend, he
sat pressing her beautiful head to his
bosom.
''You know that 1 am wretchedly
poor" he said.
''Yes, Anzeli."
That 1 haven't money enough to
furnish y house,
''Oh, don't speak of that"
eff it is painful to you, 1 will not"
at is only painful to ME because il
seems painful to you." she replied.
IL would rather starve with you than
feast with any other mortal"
He moved uneasily. ''Do you doubt
me?" she asked.
II can not doubt you. but
"But what, lOve?"
''Oh, it seems that those words have
been spoken so often before"
Perhaps, but never before by me, {"
she said. putting her arms around his
neck.
But are you so different from all
other women? Is beautiful face after
all but the light thrown from beauti-
full soul?"
Now you are trying to fatter me
again, Anzeli.''
mo, it would be impossible to fiatter
you. Flattery is an exaggeration, but
can the most gifted flatterer exagge1ate
the brightness of the sum-"
''There you CO." she ioyously re-